If I had a nickel for every time I was told that I look just like someone’s friend, cousin, or sister, I would be one very wealthy woman. I’m sure that you may have experienced this yourself. But resembling someone is very different from actually having a doppelgänger. The doppelgänger is a mysterious, other-worldly twist on the standard “look-alike” – not only is there someone out there that resembles you, but might in fact be you!

How is this possible? The Germanic origin of the word doppelgänger translates as “double-goer” or “double-walker” and that “double” is believed to be a ghost or some form of paranormal phenomenon. Real doppelgängers don’t have shadows or reflections, despite pop culture and urban legend suggesting otherwise.

A real doppelganger may exist outside of our own universe. Some scientists now believe that we live in a multiverse where there are infinite possibilities and other ‘Earths’ where identical versions of ourselves are living out slight variations to our life ~ Sarah Knapton

A surprising number of public figures believed they had doppelgängers. French author Guy De Maupassant was haunted by a presence that he believed was his double. This presence has been linked to Maupassant’s death in an insane asylum, shortly after a related story, which he claimed was dictated to him by his doppelganger, was published. Poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, the husband of Frankenstein’s Mary Shelley, allegedly also saw his doppelgänger shortly before his death. So did Abraham Lincoln.

It seems that the appearance of a doppelgänger typically does not bode well. Seeing one’s double is believed to be an omen of your own imminent and untimely death, and the visions are often quite detailed and specific. Shelley allegedly foresaw his own drowning. Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary saw his face doubled in a mirror. Mary believed that it portended her husband’s death. Other accounts tell of seeing images of loved ones at the time of their deaths, or prior to life-threatening events.

Doppelgängers have also been known to show up when a living person has a strong urge or need to be in two places at the same time. Although not a ghostly doppelgänger, these forms are thought to be energetic – they are able to take shape in a similar way that a doppelgänger of a recently deceased is perceived to take shape because of residual energy. So, it might actually be possible to be in two places at the same time.

Traditionally, it is said that only the owner of the doppelganger can see this phantom self, and that it can be a harbinger of death. Occasionally, however, a doppelganger can be seen by a person’s friends or family, resulting in quite a bit of confusion ~ Stephen Wagner

Hollywood and social media have breathed new life into doppelgänger lore, although familiar themes take some interesting twists. A “double walker” often becomes a twin in some novels, comics, and films – and such a set of twins almost inevitably means that one twin is good and the other evil. Very, very, evil. The “separated at birth” images found on the web suggests, yet again, that we’re all one half of a whole, although scientists claim that it is statistically rare for a human face to be replicated.

Not surprisingly, Facebook has been instrumental in seeking out and bringing together the 21st century’s version of the doppelgänger. It makes one dread the day you might receive a friend request from a stranger who looks just like you…

About The Author:Edie lives near the ocean in Massachusetts and is known to her clients to be a compassionate listener and conveyer of divine wisdom. She possesses the rare talent to integrate an individual’s past, present, and future–particularly at moments of life changes and crossroads. A sensitive and gifted Medium with a full range of Clair abilities at her disposal, she can find lost objects and people and can even read buildings and structures! An experienced teacher, communicator and a born Libran counselor, Edie cares about the well-being of her clients, creating a warm environment in which they can tackle challenging issues, together. If you’d like a multi-Clair Intuitive who can solve life’s obstacles and mysteries, you can find Edie at PsychicAccess.com.